Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

North America

Mardi Gras – Flambeaux

Photo by Amy Harris/The Travel Addict

Flambeaux is a Mardi Gras tradition in New Orleans that turned from necessity to a part of history. Flambeaux comes from the French word flambe, meaning “flame.” The first official Mardi Gras flambeaux debuted with the Mystic Krewe of Comus on Fat Tuesday in 1857. In the beginning, the flambeaux were needed for parade watchers to see the Carnival floats at night.

Originally, the flambeaux carried wooden rudimentary torches, which were staves wrapped with lit pine-tar rags. That evolved to oil-burning lanterns mounted on metal trays and long poles to prevent the flames from burning the carriers. Now they are sometimes elaborate in design and have an updated setup using gravity flow from a reservoir to keep four burners blazing no matter how long the parade might last.

I love walking to the beginning of the Uptown parade route to watch the lighting of the flames before the parades begin each day. It actually looks like a pretty dangerous activity when you see all the fires and the local fire department on hand.

It is always a beautiful way to know the parades are coming and always remember to tip your Flambeaux. This is also a New Orleans tradition to give them a dollar as they pass by on the route since they are some of the hardest working parade walkers.

Latest Articles

Interviews

Four decades is a long time to rock the stage and keep things fresh, but Suicidal Tendencies has no problem doing that. Mike Muir...

Governor’s Ball Moves To Flushing Meadows Corona Park Governor’s Ball Moves To Flushing Meadows Corona Park

News

The 2023 edition of Governor’s Ball Music Festival, slated for June 9th-11th, will take place in a new location: Flushing Meadows Corona Park. The...

Parkway Drive's Winston McCall Talks Love of Byron Bay Parkway Drive's Winston McCall Talks Love of Byron Bay

Interviews

For some bands, it’s been years since they’ve been stateside due to the pandemic. For Parkway Drive, it was four long years after a...

Jacques Torres prepares gourmet foods aboard the Holland America fleet. Jacques Torres prepares gourmet foods aboard the Holland America fleet.

News

Holland America has extended it’s Culinary Cruise program into 2023. Celebrity chefs will share their knowledge and kitchen secrets on certain voyages with guests....

South America

Do you dream of traveling the world? Are you scared that your budget might hold you back? Well, it might interest you to know...

News

As people all over the world are becoming more environmentally conscious, airlines are taking note and finding unique ways to make a difference and...

You May Also Like

Interviews

The series “Departures” chronicled two Canadian friends Scott Wilson and Justin Lukach as they quit their day jobs to make their way around the...

North America

While covering MGK “Machine Gun Kelly” Day which took place on August 13 I visited the musician’s local coffee shop, 27 Club Coffee. It...

Interviews

Cincinnati-based chef Christian Gill has been taking on every challenge that the Food Network has to offer this summer. He is currently competing in...

Interviews

Ministry has paved a unique path for the past four decades, from its early days melding elements of dark wave, synth pop and metal...